CHICAGO, July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Angiogenesis Foundation is leading a Scientific Session at the Institute of Food Technology's 2013 Annual Meeting + Food Expo, presenting an entirely new approach to healthy foods aimed at maintaining the body's balance of a health defense system called "angiogenesis," the process used by the body to grow blood vessels. Titled "Nutrigenomics and angiogenesis: how food influences the common denominator of health," the Session is chaired by Dr. William W. Li, president and medical director of the Angiogenesis Foundation.

"Blood vessels are critical to the health of every cell, every organ, and for every function in the body," said Dr. Li. "Research is now showing it's possible to promote health and wellness using foods and beverages that influence angiogenesis."

For over a decade, the Angiogenesis Foundation has been applying the scientific principles used in drug discovery to analyze foods for angiogenesis-modifying properties. Working with internationally renowned researchers, the Foundation has created new methods to study foods and beverages ranging from berries to tea to soy and wine. They have identified a growing number of foods possessing antiangiogenic activity, which can prevent the abnormal growth of blood vessels from taking place. Such abnormal vessels grow in obesity, cancers, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and common causes of blindness, among other conditions.

"The best way to conquer society's runaway health problems," remarked Dr. Li, "is to get in front of them by preventing them in the first place. Dietary antiangiogenesis presents an opportunity for improving health at a time that is ripe for innovation."

The Angiogenesis Foundation (www.angio.org) is a nonprofit organization based in Cambridge, MA, USA, whose mission is to improve global health through medicines, diet, and lifestyles based on angiogenesis, new blood vessel growth. To view a TED talk given by Dr. Li, see: http://www.ted.com/talks/william_li.html.